How do I help make my child with vision impairment feel more involved with the activity that their sibling does?
Depending on the activity, you could:
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walk the activity area with the siblings together beforehand
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let the siblings explore the equipment and how it works together
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adapt the equipment to meet their needs and/or buy specialist equipment that can be shared
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find out if audio description is available or provide your own descriptions
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find out if there is a VI group or club for the same activity that they could join
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talk with the sibling about vision impairment and how it affects their brother or sister.
If the sibling is already engaged in the activity, remember to ask if it’s ok for your child with VI to join. Support for a child with vision impairment is important but shouldn’t decrease the activity and enjoyment of another sibling. Additionally, sometimes siblings want to do their own thing and it’s important to give them space and support individually as well as together. Siblings sometimes have difficulty explaining or exploring their emotions around living with and supporting a sibling with disabilities. There are charities available to support:
RNIB’s Sight Loss Counselling Service also supports siblings aged 11+ with any emotional needs, including those related to their sibling’s vision impairment:
RNIB Specialist Advice Service Advisors can give further information on this topic
